


Liquid Courage

by InfiniteSeahorse



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Genre: Drinking, Embarrassment, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Milk affects Hylians like alcohol, One Shot, Shameless Smut, Strip Tease
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:00:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21841825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfiniteSeahorse/pseuds/InfiniteSeahorse
Summary: Link has just freed the last sage from painted imprisonment, so he and Ravio decide to celebrate his success down at the Milk Bar in Kakariko Village. Link drinks a little bit too much– he doesn’t know his limits, but he doesn’t really care, not when he has Ravio to help him home. The merchant is more than happy to get the hero out of his clothes and into bed.
Relationships: Link/Ravio (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 148





	Liquid Courage

“Oh man, Ravio, I feel great,” Link enthused to his companion, swinging his legs as he sat at a small round table in the Kakariko Milk Bar. “I feel _so_ great… but I can’t feel my feet. Or the tip of my nose… but I feel awesome! Is this what it feels like to be a hero?”

Link’s eyes shone with good humor and the intoxicating effects of one too many Premium Milk cocktails, and Ravio broke his gaze to focus on the aforementioned nose, longing to place a kiss on its upturned tip and to ask him if he felt _that._ Their faces were close, close enough to try, but, oh. He forgot. He was wearing his hood, and he definitely did not want to remove it here, in this bar crowded with onlookers. He knew how nosy small-town folk tended to be, and he didn’t want anyone to start asking intrusive questions.

“No, Mr. Hero,” Ravio said, giggling a little at the sound of the nickname he had given the fate-touched young man, “It’s what being drunk feels like. Why don’t you finish your glass of water. I think it’s time to go home.”

Link spun around on his barstool and silently complied, gulping the last few mouthfuls of water in a less than coordinated manner. He had not meant to get inebriated this evening, but he had lost track of the exact number of mugs of milk that had been pressed into his accepting hands by the grateful townsfolk during their few hours of free time. By unspoken agreement of the regular patrons, their visit to the bar had turned into an impromptu celebration, and even Ravio had joined in the merriment, sipping on a single shot glass full of sweetened spiced cream.

Head spinning long after he stopped twirling on his seat, Link hopped off his stool, only to immediately stumble into the waiting arms of his more sober companion. “Sorry, Ravio. Didn’t mean to bump into you. My feet are a few steps behind my head,” he said as he clutched the trailing end of Ravio’s long scarf. “I think you’ll have to navigate on the way home.”

“You’re fine, don’t worry about it, buddy,” Ravio assured him, propping him up and brushing invisible dust off his shoulders. Ravio didn’t want to admit that he was pleased by his friend’s unusual unsteadiness– any touch was a good touch when it came from Mr. Hero.

Their first goal, to make it to the door, was in sight after they settled their tab with the lone bartender. Link shoved off from the bar’s sturdy counter with a determined set to his shoulders and found to his surprise that no one wanted him to leave. He was free with hugs and promises to return soon as he made a final round of the business’s spacious interior, all with his housemate hovering dutifully at his side. Ravio had the feeling that if he took his eyes off the hero for even a moment, he would lose him for several more hours, despite their agreement to leave promptly. The merchant had enjoyed seeing Link in his native environment, surrounded by friends and well-wishers, and he wondered if he’d see the same scene in Lorule. If anyone could make friends with the dour, hopeless citizens of his homeworld, it would have to be the golden young man swaying and bouncing joyfully around in front of him. Thinking of his abandoned country also reminded him of the objective Link had set for himself in the morning, and he gently tugged at the hero’s elbow, nudging him in the direction of the front door for the umpteenth time.

They hit one last snag before they reached the exit. A young woman, dressed in a frilly frock and wearing brightly colored lipstick that emphasized the contour of her full lips, snagged Link’s hand as he reached for the door’s handle. She had been trying to catch his eye all evening, blowing him kisses from across the bar and sidling up to him as he engaged in conversation with other people.

“You’re not leaving already, are you?” she asked with breathless, overblown astonishment. “The band’s starting to play a new set!” True to her assertion, they heard the reedy notes of a pan flute as it began to trickle through the background hum of conversation.

Link gaped dumbly at her, mouth moving silently as the words worked their long, tortuous way from his milk-soaked brain to his slackened tongue. He had been able to converse normally just a few minutes ago with the other patrons of the bar, but something about this lady’s overbearing personality had frozen the hero in his tracks.

Ravio piped up, “Yes, in fact, we are! Got a big heroic day ahead of you tomorrow, don’t you, Link?”

Snapped out of his stupor by hearing the merchant use his actual name for once, he agreed, a litany of “Yep, yep, yep!” tumbling from his lips as he nodded his head with enough gusto to make the pointy end of his hat flap up and down.

The young woman pouted, bottom lip shining wetly in the soft light of the bar’s lamps. “Oh, that’s a shame. Well, in that case, I’ll leave too. Do you mind walking a lady home? It’s awfully dark out there.” She batted her long, dark eyelashes and smiled coquettishly.

“I’m sorry,” Ravio interrupted, sounding more confident than he felt. “But we really need to get home right away.” He cast about wildly in his mind, trying to come up with a plausible excuse, something more concrete than _We don’t feel like it._ “I left my bird at home all alone, and I forgot to feed him dinner!”

“So what’s the problem?” She frowned and rested her fist on her hip. “Go home and feed your bird, then. No one’s stopping you.” She flipped a lock of hair behind her shoulder dismissively and focused again on the Hylian half of the pair in front of her. “I’m sure you remember the way to my house, since you’ve been there so many times before!” She giggled and fluttered her eyelashes again.

“Well, we live together.” Ravio boldly slipped his hand around Link’s arm and squeezed them closer together. If Mr. Hero could touch him all night, then it was within his rights to grab him back. “And he’s got the only lantern.” He hoped that would be enough to get his point across– he couldn’t speak for his friend, but he was fairly certain that given the choice, Link would rather go home with him than suffer the attentions of his enamored admirer, even if it was just a short walk across town.

Link slowly panned from the lady’s stunned face to Ravio’s hand, which was gripping his bicep with unnecessary force, as if he was afraid that the hero was going to be ripped from his grasp against his wishes. Unable to hide his delight, a grin spread across Link’s face, and he spoke, slurring his words slightly. “ ‘S true. He always tells me I’m the brightest light in the darkness. So’s I gotta light his way home. Sorry about that.”

The woman’s features fell like a souffle in a cold kitchen, and she said, “Oh,” in a tiny, defeated voice. 

Link, glossing over her change in demeanor, gave her a jaunty wave and backed out the door, saying, “Good night! See you around sometime!” as he dragged Ravio with him into the cool night air.

Shutting the door on the boisterous clamor of the party inside the bar, Ravio drew a deep breath and scanned the surrounding area for lurking monsters. Link may have just freed the last imprisoned sage, but his heroics hadn’t yet made the world a safer place to roam around in. The sun had set over an hour ago, and the newly emerging stars twinkled brightly in a velvety sky. Dangerous beasts could be hiding anywhere under the cover of darkness.

“That was great, Ravio! Way to think on your feet!” Link praised his friend as they began walking out of town.

“Oh, it was nothing,” Ravio demurred. “It’s just part of my salesman’s charm!”

“I’m glad it broke through my instinct to help anyone and everyone who asks for it!” Apparently energized by their change of venue, Link laughed, a little too loud for the cowardly merchant’s nervous sensibilities, and jokingly elbowed him in the ribs.

“Yeah.” A stab of guilt twisted through Ravio’s gut. Had he prevented Mr. Hero from doing a good deed? Was he being selfish for wanting him to go straight home? He recalled Link's quest and his drive to see it through to the end, and he buried his misgivings. Anything he did to help Mr. Hero achieve his goal was in service to the greater good, and soon enough, no one would need an escort home once peace was restored to Hyrule.

The road home brought them through the outskirts of a forest that was dark in the daytime and positively abyssal at night. Ravio shivered as they approached a cluster of large trees, whose branches stretched through the night sky and hung over the path like menacing claws, and asked for the lantern to light their way. 

Link groped at his waist for a moment, grumbling at the unexpectedly clumsy movements of his fingers. “Ravio, come over to my other side and get this lantern off my belt. Can’t do it myself,” he complained.

“Sure thing, buddy!” Ravio said with hollow cheer. If Mr. Hero couldn’t manage the lantern, what hope would they have if they met a monster? Would he still able to swing a sword?

Kneeling at Link’s side, Ravio easily unhooked the lantern and lit it as fast as he could. Looking up at Link’s expectant face as the light blazed forth, Ravio thought he caught a glimpse of hunger shine in the hero’s eyes, and he swallowed nervously. Was that directed at him? He stood and lifted the lantern, throwing a wide circle of light around them, and made to encourage their progression home. Before he could get a single word out, Link swung his arm over Ravio’s shoulders and leaned against him. Temporarily paralyzed by the warm weight draped across his body, Ravio felt a rush of blood travel to where it would embarrass him most.

“I’m so tired, Ravio. Let’s go home,” Link said as he lolled his head to the side, rubbing his forehead against the fuzzy fabric of the bunny hood. Ravio shivered at the intimate gesture, gathering his courage to wrap his free arm around his friend’s waist to lend further support. He gave a little prayer of thanks to the generous citizens who had kept the milk flowing all evening, and to Mr. Hero, who with his friendly touches, had given his hopes a tangible target.

As swiftly as the merchant could set the pace, they walked side-by-side down the road, passing the twisted, wizened trees without a backward glance. Whether their enemies were repelled by the lantern’s light or by the deafening beat of Ravio’s heart, he couldn’t say, but their luck held out. They made it past the woods without crossing paths with a single monster or soldier, and Mr. Hero’s dulled reflexes were not called upon to defend the duo.

It certainly wasn't Ravio's fault if, once or twice on their journey, his hand happened to slip down from the curve of Mr. Hero's waist and rested for a moment or two on the firm rise of his posterior. The night was dark and frightening, the road was bumpy, and Link was unsteady on his milk-drunk feet. It couldn't be helped. Ravio probably should have apologized for his transgressions, but doing so would have given more attention to his actions, and he was embarrassed enough as it was.

Much to the cowardly merchant’s despair, Link had to make an emergency stop before they made it to the house on the hill. Waist-deep in a clump of bushes not too far off the side of the road, the drunken Hylian started belting out the first verse of a song as he finished emptying his bladder.

“Please, Mr. Hero!” Ravio hissed. “This is no time to start singing! Something out here is going to hear you for sure!” He squinted nervously into the darkness around him.

“I just remembered the song they were playing in the bar!” Link said by way of explanation, and he sang the next few lines in a remarkably clear and sonorous voice. He turned and made his way back to the road and the trembling man waiting for him, still singing incredibly loudly.

Link resumed his place by draping himself over Ravio’s shoulders again. “You know how you can shut me up?” he asked, once he had replaced Ravio’s arm around his waist and finished the rest of the song.

Ravio didn’t have a free hand to clap over his friend’s mouth, and if the threat of attracting foes wasn’t enough to deter him, he didn’t know what else he could say to stop Mr. Hero from continuing with his bad idea. “N-no,” he stammered.

The look on Link’s face had grown focused and hungry again, which Ravio caught with the tail of his eye as he whipped his head around to look down the road behind them. He thought he had heard a rustling… _No, it was more of a scraping, like hideously clawed feet against packed dirt…_

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Link sighed theatrically. “Guess I have to keep singing, then. All the way home…”

Now Ravio was terrified. Mr. Hero had not resumed walking, despite his mention of going home. Perhaps he had lost his ability to walk and talk at the same time. He began tugging his stubborn friend forward. “Please, let’s go. Sing if you want, it’s fine. Maybe it’s keeping the monsters away!” Link took a few stumbling steps, laughing at the insult, and then they were blessedly, more-or-less quietly, on their way again.

Ravio did not relax until they had both made it inside the house and the door was securely latched. For reasons still unknown to him, the door did not have a lock, even though burglars were not unheard of in the area. He was pleased to see that Sheerow had made his nightly nest on the bag of rupees he kept on a spare crate. Only the merchant was able to open the bag, and it was additionally protected by an enchantment that fixed it to the crate, but the added security of the small bird’s presence soothed him ever so slightly. The still-frightened man double-checked the solid wood of the door, then stepped to the windows to draw the curtains. Once he determined that the house was safe from the view of the outside world, he lit a lamp and doused the lantern.

Holding his new source of light, he turned toward the center of the room to see where Mr. Hero had gone. He expected to see Link over by the front door, making himself comfortable by removing his shoes or hanging up his sword and shield, but he was surprised to find that the inebriated Hylian had made his way across the house and deposited himself face-down diagonally across his bed, still fully clothed, shod, and accessorized.

Ravio had put the bed back in its original position just that morning as a thank-you gesture after Mr. Hero had purchased the last remaining item from his shop. He had made the bed with exacting care, fluffing the pillows before placing them at the head of the bed and tucking the covers neatly under the mattress. Link was in no fit state to notice the extra attention paid to a routine chore, even if he hadn’t seen his bed in a month, and it looked from Ravio’s perspective that he was barely even aware of where he had landed.

Ravio walked across the room to the side of the bed, lamp held high and eyes fixed on the hero’s static form. _I can’t let him fall asleep like that,_ he thought as he put his things down on the bedside table, trying to ignore the enticing view of his friend’s rear end in the soft glow of the lamplight. _He deserves a good night’s rest before he goes back to Lorule in the morning._ “Mr. Hero, you’re not asleep yet, are you?”

In response, Link rolled over onto his back, exposing his shield, which he had been lying on top of. “ ‘M completely awake… I swear…” he mumbled.

Ravio clucked his tongue with amused concern. “Great. Because you should really get ready for bed before you pass out. Why don’t you start with your boots and sword,” he gently reminded his exhausted housemate, “and I’ll get you a glass of water.”

Link pushed his shield off the bed, where it fell to the floor with a heavy thump. He grappled next with his belt and managed to unbuckle it, then shoved it to the side so it could follow the shield’s path. Removing his shoes proved to be a more difficult matter. Ravio watched as Link tried to raise his feet up to the level of his hands, then he changed his mind halfway through and stretched his arms down to meet his feet. Giving up before he reached his goal, he flopped back down flat onto the bed and started to whine. “Ravio, please help me! I’m too tired to get my boots off!” He turned his head to catch Ravio’s eye, and pouted while batting his eyelashes. “Pretty please?”

The merchant burst into laughter at his extravagant show of helplessness, and Link couldn’t help but join in after an extra moment of silent, doe-eyed pleading.

“I’d be happy to help you, Mr. Hero. Just drink this first.” Ravio handed over the cup of water and positioned himself by the end of the bed, where Link’s feet dangled off the edge. 

“You’re so good to me, Ravio. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Link said into the rim of the cup, propping himself up on his elbows and drinking the water with a swiftness that belied his previous admission of exhaustion. Ravio blushed under the cover of his hood and looked at his friend’s boots. The softly worn leather was not encumbered by buckles or other closures, so he grabbed a boot by the heel and started to pull it off.

“I hope you didn’t track any mud inside,” Ravio gently chastised. “Dirtying the quilt that I recently removed from storage is not a very chivalrous action for a hero of your caliber!”

“Mmm,” Link agreed, wiggling his toes in the air. “Thanks. That feels much better.” He rolled his ankle and started kicking his legs, swinging them back and forth from the edge of the bed. Ravio stared at them, hypnotized by the smooth motion and impressed by the way the thick material of his leggings molded perfectly to the muscles of his calves and thighs. With a sigh of defeat, Ravio gave up trying to push away his inappropriate, lecherous thoughts of slowly stroking one of those legs, pressing oh-so-gently with his fingertips from the ankle up past calf and knee and thigh, up and up and up, to where the muscles thickened and leg met hip and buttock, and he let his desires wash over him in a hot wave to settle familiarly in his groin. He didn’t have to act on his thoughts. He could be a silent observer, appreciating the attractiveness of his friend’s body without giving himself away. Besides, he wasn’t bold enough to make a move, anyway. If he tried to, say, grab Mr. Hero's delicious leg in order to give him a relaxing massage, he’d probably catch a foot in his face for his trouble.

“Give me your other leg,” Ravio requested with as much patience as he could muster, and popped the second boot off with ease. He carried them back to the front of the house, setting them down in their usual place next to his own boots by the door.

Ravio steeled himself before turning back to the far corner of the house. If the rustling of fabric and annoyed grunting he heard was an accurate indication of Mr. Hero’s progress, then he’d be down to his undershorts by now, which was a sight that the anxious and aroused Lorulean had dreamed about for weeks. He’d had plenty of time while tending his shop to imagine what the young man who looked so similar to himself might look like without his tunic, but despite the scenarios he’d gone over in his mind, he wasn’t quite prepared to face the actual hero in a bed, nearly nude or not.

He kept his eyes closed as he wheeled around slowly. _Maybe Mr. Hero is already under the covers,_ he thought with some relief. _I can tuck him in and sleep on the floor, where I belong, and we can laugh about him getting drunk in the morning._ Hopes tempered for the moment, he opened his eyes and immediately stifled a laugh when he took in the scene. Link hadn’t removed any of his clothing, nor had he made it under the blankets. The frustrated sounds Ravio had heard came from behind a wad of material caught around the hero’s head and upper body. It looked like he had tried to take his tunic and undershirt off together, which had subsequently gotten tangled with his hat and combined into a puzzle too complicated for the weary young man to make his way out of.

Ravio watched Link struggle as he walked slowly back to the bed. His gaze lingered over the way the trapped man’s chest twisted and abs flexed as he tried to free himself from his clothing. With every step closer, Ravio’s humor over the situation morphed into desire. The reaction to his friend’s contortions– his quickened breathing and racing pulse– filled his hood with noise that he couldn’t shake. He shifted his concentration, noticing a few half-healed wounds and bruises scattered across Link’s skin, and he worried briefly about the state of his potion collection. Once he was back by the side of the bed, Ravio could see that Link’s leggings had shifted down his waist, exposing the defined edges of his hipbones and a narrow trail of an inch or so of light brown hair that led the way from his navel into his pants. The merchant knew it would be incredibly difficult to hide his interest now, even through his heavy robe.

“Ravio, I need your help again!” Link said in a pitiful tone. 

_Was he faking it?_ Ravio wondered. _I suppose it doesn’t matter. I’ll play along either way._ “All right, I’ll help you out, but it won’t come cheap this time. How does fifty rupees per item of clothing removed sound?”

Link stopped wiggling. “You wouldn’t!” His muffled voice came out in a shocked gasp.

“I would,” Ravio said, letting a teasing lilt color his words. “Now that you’ve cleared out my shop, how am I supposed to make money?”

“Not by extorting your friends,” Link griped, hands clenching into fists. “I was planning on _saving_ my rupees for once in my life, now that I don’t have to keep renting and buying weapons.”

“Keep on complaining, and it’ll be one hundred rupees a piece– no, five hundred, I’ve got a lot of expenses I need to cover…” He trailed off, enjoying the increasingly labored sounds of Link’s breathing. It was always fun to tease his friend, although he wished he could see his face as embarrassment and frustration colored his features. The deep pink of his blush suited his complexion, and when Ravio really got him going, his ears would turn the same appealing shade.

“Hrrng!” Link was truly stuck now, panting with the effort to release one of his arms. “How about this–” he gave a mighty yank to no avail, “–for every piece of my clothing that you remove, you have to take something of yours off, too.”

Ravio’s breath caught in his throat. “That doesn’t make any sense,” he squeaked. Was the milk still affecting Mr. Hero’s judgment?

“Sure it does,” Link countered. “I know you like me, Ravio. You’re not exactly good at hiding your feelings.” He swung his entire upper body towards the merchant and waved his hands in his general direction. “I’ve been suspicious for awhile. The compliments you always give me, the hugs you hand out along with welcoming me into the shop, and that one time, when you kissed me on the cheek for good luck, that made me think something was up! But after you saved me from that lady at the bar tonight, I’m sure of it!”

Ravio winced and hunched forward, even though he knew Mr. Hero wasn’t talking about, nor could he see, his erection. “I… I suppose you're right,” he sighed. There was no use in denying it, now that he'd been confronted. Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed, and it took the words right out of his mouth, although it did nothing to quell the excitement down below. He couldn’t confess how he felt out loud, even though Link had done all the work for him.

“I know I’m right!” Link said triumphantly, and he gave Ravio a double thumbs-up. “You like me, and you want to see me naked!” He was having fun teasing his friend back, despite his awkward position. Ravio could hear the smile in his voice, and the wild hand gestures he was adding to his argument accentuated the humor he was deriving from his predicament. “I’m not opposed, if it comes to that, but you’re not getting something for nothing.”

 _Something for nothing!_ The merchant chafed at the accusation that he would cheat not only his friend, but his best customer, out of anything, even if it was a ridiculous, half-baked, nonsensical excuse to get naked that Mr. Hero had made up himself. He looked at the young man on the bed, who was remarkably patient despite having two shirts and a hat twisted around his head, and felt his resolve wavering. It was a manageable price to pay to see a new side of his friend. One piece of clothing at a time, and he could stop whenever he wanted...

“Could you at least help me get my arms down? They’re starting to hurt,” Link pleaded.

The last remaining wisps of Ravio’s refusal dissolved as he grabbed onto the edge of Mr. Hero’s tunic. “Sit up straight.” His voice wasn’t anywhere near commanding, but he felt a thrill run through him as Link followed his instructions. “Put your arms over your head. No, like this.” He grasped the hero’s wrists and held them high in one hand as he tugged the stubborn material of both shirts off his face and down his chest, momentarily re-covering the torso he so admired. “Try lowering your arms now,” he said as he reluctantly let go.

Link’s head popped into view, red-cheeked and blinking with his return to freedom. “Thanks!” he said, slouching forward into a more relaxed position. 

Their faces were close together again, Ravio realized with a start. He could kiss his nose like he wanted to in the bar, or what’s more, he could kiss his lips, which were parted slightly to gather more air after his time being slowly strangled by his clothing, or maybe it was in anticipation? He leaned in closer, ready to take a step that didn’t seem so impossible after all, and was rudely reminded of the bunny hood covering his face when it bumped into Link’s forehead. 

Ravio recoiled, over-correcting his mistake, and collided with the bedside table. As he steadied himself against it, he looked at the lamp, and an idea began to form in his mind. There was a sconce on the wall to the left of the bed with the stub of a candle poking out of it. Moving past the furniture with the lamp in hand, he ignored the hero’s cry of, “Hey, what’re ya doin’?”. He lit the candle and blew out the lamp with only a little shaking in his hands to give away his nervousness. The house plunged into relative darkness, and Link shouted, “I’m gonna fall asleep if you turn out the lights! Come over here and help me take off my clothes, like you promised!”

Once Ravio’s eyes readjusted to the lower level of light, he returned to the bedside. He wouldn’t be able to see Mr. Hero as well as he would have liked to, but on the other hand, he would feel much better if his own face was not so visible.

Ravio’s reticence slowly melted away as he peered through the gloom to look at Mr. Hero’s handsome, watchful face, and he recalled the open invitation to see as much of that gallant, hard-working body as he wanted to. He made a small noise of surrender as he took both his and Link’s hats in his hands and lifted them off their heads.

Barely visible in the dimmed light, Link’s eyes grew wide and he said, “You don’t have to do that, Ravio!” He was under the impression that the merchant kept his face covered from an excess of shyness, which Ravio was happy to let him believe.

Ravio shook his bare head, hair free to tumble into his eyes. While he did feel more secure with the hood covering his face, in the name of fair play, he thought he should remove it. Blowing his bangs out of the way, he explained, “I’ll need to take it off to get the robe over my head. Might as well get it over with now.” 

Ravio tossed the hats on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. He felt like he’d taken his skin off as well as his hood, feeling exposed and vulnerable like a network of raw nerves, but as he sat and nothing bad happened, excitement started to flow over the jagged edges of his distress, and he returned to the matter of undressing his companion. 

“Arms up,” he urged, and thought, _This will be easy. Tunic for him, scarf for me._ With the hat out of the way and a sober helper, the magically strengthened blue tunic slipped easily enough over Link’s chest, head, and arms. Ravio folded it neatly before stacking it on top of his shield and hat. The scarf unwound just as smoothly from around his own neck, and as he bent to put it down, he felt a breeze on his exposed skin. Where did that come from? The little house was quite cozy, solidly built and free from drafts. Had Mr. Hero moved close enough to breathe on the back of his neck? He turned to look and found that his friend was lying back on his elbows once again. Perhaps he had only imagined it.

Link had been alternately chatty and quiet so far through the undressing process, his half-shut eyes and lazy splay over the bed explaining his lack of effort in maintaining a conversation. What wasn’t so usual was Ravio’s silence, but he couldn’t seem to make more than the bare minimum amount of words come out past his lips, lips that he kept licking to combat the sudden dryness that had come over them once he uncovered his face. Not even his usual inconsequential chatter felt right, so he kept his mouth shut and let his internal monologue keep him company.

“Next layer,” Ravio said to the prone form of the hero, and he grabbed his arms to haul him back up to sitting. He must have been a touch over-enthusiastic, because Link tipped forward into Ravio’s lap and caught himself at the last moment. One of his hands landed directly on Ravio’s thigh, and as he lifted himself back up, his fingers grazed over the hardness the merchant had been trying and failing to ignore all night.

“Is that for me?” Link jokingly asked.

Ravio felt his whole face light up in mortification. “You know it is,” he said, scooting out of arm's reach. “You figured it out– I like you. We’ve been over this.” He buried his face in his hands.

“I didn’t know you liked me that much,” Link said quietly, humor still in his voice.

“Well, I do.”

“So show it. No, not that, not yet,” Link chuckled, waving Ravio’s hand aside as the flustered merchant uncovered his face to gesture protectively towards his crotch. “I mean, when you take off my shirt. Make it count,” he said with a grin that Ravio hoped was sincere, as it was wide and bright enough to see in the flickering candlelight. 

The moment stretched. Ravio gathered his courage for what felt like the thousandth time that night, and he breathed out in a rush. “Okay,” he said, halfway between a whisper and a squeak, and he slid his hands beneath the hem of Mr. Hero’s undershirt. He kept as much contact with his warm skin as he could, using his thumbs to hold the fabric out of the way as he raised his arms and with them, the shirt. Ravio’s fingertips ran over Link’s ribs, and he twitched, starting to giggle.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to tickle you!” Ravio apologized, yanking the shirt over his friend’s head.

Link yawned and laid back on the bed. “It’s fine,” he said, rubbing his side where Ravio’s fingers had just been. “I must be really tired. That’s the only time I’m ever ticklish. Now it’s your turn!”

“Yes, of course, I just need to put this down first," the merchant said, unnecessarily narrating his actions. His mouth must have become fractionally unstuck, although unfortunately, he wasn't saying anything useful. With the pile of clothing another layer taller, Ravio sat back on the bed. Up and down, up and down– he didn’t mind all the movement. It was like a slow dance, and when his body was in motion, his mind calmed down enough to appreciate the situation he’d gotten himself into. To see Mr. Hero laid out half-naked on the bed beside him was a rare and precious gift. Link hadn't said anything that made Ravio feel confident that he returned his interest, but what they were doing had to be a step in the right direction. It was more than he could ever have hoped for in all his life, and now, and now! He wanted to weep with joy and desire and gratitude, but instead of all that, and thankfully instead of falling back into nervousness, he rose calmly from the bed and began the process of removing his belt and robe. It was a long robe, floor-length and with voluminous sleeves that he liked to hide his hands in, but he dealt with it quickly when he heard Link yawning among the pillows behind him.

“Do you need help with your leggings, or can you manage them yourself?” Ravio asked.

“Mmm,” Link replied, barely acknowledging the question. Ravio took it for a request for further help, and emboldened by his friend’s earlier exhortation to _make it count_ , he rubbed his thumbs over the hip bones he spied earlier before hooking his fingers into the waistband of Link’s pants. Taking this piece of clothing off the increasingly sleepy hero was harder than it looked. Link was no help at all– in fact, he was doing an admirable job of behaving exactly like an extra-large, extra-attractive sack of rupees, and Ravio was beginning to struggle against his dead weight. He covered his exertions by moving slower, more deliberately, leaning in closer and inspecting the newly exposed areas of the hero’s body with unabashed appreciation. The tantalizing trail of hair he had spied earlier extended lower than ever, and he was pleased to see that Link’s legs looked even better freed from their coverings. Was Mr. Hero deriving any pleasure from their clumsy game of striptease? It was hard to tell with the lack of light, and Ravio was not crazy enough to cop a feel, so he continued to pull the tight material off the ends of his friend’s legs in silent wonder.

“Ahh, much better!” Link sighed once his leggings had been removed, and stretched luxuriously, rolling onto his side to face Ravio.

“Oh, so you’re not asleep after all!”

“No, just relaxed. And waiting for you…” Link gestured impatiently at the merchant perched on the edge of the bed.

Ravio had the sudden crashing realization that he was not wearing underwear beneath his leggings like Mr. Hero was. He had been treating his pants as both under- and outerwear, and he hadn’t yet had an issue with his lack of layers until this very moment. His blush bloomed impossibly deep over his cheeks, ears, and chest, and he stammered, “I– I can’t take them off, Mr. Hero. I’ve got nothing on underneath!”

Link’s smile returned, curling across his face in a suggestive arc. “You know what that means, then.”

“I do?” He didn’t. Ravio hated to admit it, but his brain, clouded as it was with lust, wasn’t working as smoothly as he would have liked it to. 

If he took off his tights, he’d be naked, and that was more exposure than he could stand. If he put his hood back on, that tiny bit of barrier might be enough to assuage his nerves and allow him to stand nude before his object of interest. However, if he put his hood back on, would Mr. Hero have to put his hat back on too? Was replacing clothes against the rules? Had the game ended then, with no more equivalent pieces of clothing left to remove? What were the rules, anyway?

Ravio groaned in frustration. He was supposed to be helping his friend get ready for bed, he reminded himself, never mind what else was going on. He stood again and wiped his sweaty hands on his thighs, agitated but determined to do _something,_ and looked to the bed, where Link was lounging, his tired smile still shining in the light.

“I didn’t think this would be such a moral quandary for you.”

Ravio privately goggled at Mr. Hero's use of the phrase ‘moral quandary’ before replying, “Yes, you did! You want to tease me!” He squirmed in place. ”This is probably the most fun you've had all week.” A peal of laughter was his immediate answer.

The candle was guttering in the sconce, throwing wild shadows across the corner of the room and its inhabitants. Link stopped laughing, sat up, and blew the tousled hair from his eyes in a vain attempt to get a better view of the young man standing before him, a mannerism that Ravio recognized as being identical to his own preferred way of clearing his vision. 

“Come here,” Link said, ignoring his friend’s distress and enhancing his request with a wave of his hand.

“What?"

“Come here on the bed,” he repeated in a firmer tone. He patted the space next to him, the muted sound carrying clearly in the quiet of the house. “I’m teasing myself just as much as I’m teasing you, and I can’t take it anymore.”

Ravio’s voice was barely above a whisper as he said, “I haven’t… taken my pants off yet…”

“I’ll do it for you. Come here.” Link’s voice deepened into a growl, and Ravio’s heart skipped a beat that his dick picked up, throbbing in response to the command.

Ravio trembled as he climbed onto the yielding mattress, careful to give the hero a wide berth so he wouldn’t accidentally trample him in the dark. He sat with his legs folded beneath him, ready to rise to his knees at the first hint of an order, and waited for Mr. Hero to make the next move. He wanted badly to ask about a million questions, most of which were variations on “Why me?” and “What now?”, but he couldn’t pop the anticipatory bubble formed by the combination of his strained silence and his companion’s soft breathing, so he continued to wait as every muscle and nerve in his body tensed to the point of snapping.

A warm, callused hand landed without warning on Ravio’s shoulder, and he nearly jumped out of his skin with shock. The hand squeezed him briefly, then traveled in towards his neck, following its slope upwards. Before Ravio had a chance to point out that his leggings were in the opposite direction of which Mr. Hero was moving, the hand tightened into a fist in the hair above the nape of his neck, pulling his face close to the hero’s, and Link kissed him.

Technically, this wasn’t their first kiss. As Link had mentioned earlier in the evening, they had kissed once before, though to be honest, it was merely a last-minute, tossed-off, barely-there peck on the cheek, given to Mr. Hero as he prepared to make his way back into Lorule through one of the newly opened rifts in his own land. Practically, this was the first kiss that meant something other than _Thank you,_ _I hope you come back alive next time_ , and as far as kisses went, this one meant everything, and all without saying a single word.

Although Ravio had obsessively replayed the moment over and over in his mind since the happy occasion occurred, he was pretty sure the tiny little touch didn’t count as an actual exchange of affection. Not of his true feelings– if he had meant to transmit how he really felt as he watched his friend walk through the door towards his uncertain destiny, it would be much more like what was happening now; warm, inviting, and tinged with urgency. They hadn’t talked about it at all until tonight, and Ravio had begun to think it was a mistake to act so affectionately towards his customer. 

This kiss, however, was no informal plea for safety, and no mistake on either of their parts. It was deliberately done, if not wholly premeditated. It was fast, hot, and needy, ramping up in intensity over the space of a few hastily drawn breaths. There was nothing awkward or misleading about the way Link moved, pressing his lips hungrily against Ravio’s, who eagerly matched and returned his assertiveness. All traces of the hero’s former tiredness were absent. His slightly sloppy, casually rough manner showed that he still had some milk to get out of his system, but Ravio didn’t mind the aggressive treatment at all. He was ashamed to admit that he'd accept almost anything as long as it came from Mr. Hero, and he parted his lips to accept the tongue dancing against them. Link still smelled faintly of the milk he had been drinking, but there was no trace left of its taste in his mouth. The water had washed him clean.

Link didn’t stay bound to Ravio’s lips for long. Wandering across to his ears and down his neck, the hero was thrillingly generous with his teeth, biting and sucking every inch of skin that came under his lips with enough force to leave marks in his wake. Encouraged by the pleased noises Ravio was making, he bit down harder than ever into the thick muscle of the Lorulean’s upper shoulder. It was too much, crossing the line from pain-enhanced pleasure into total discomfort, and Ravio flinched and yelped into Link’s ear, the tip of which he had been nibbling much more gently.

“I’m not a chew toy, Mr. Hero!” he gasped.

“I think you are,” Link growled while flicking his tongue over the marks his teeth had made, and proceeded to bite his way back up his neck, this time with more restraint.

Ravio sighed and held onto Link’s upper arms to steady himself as a fresh wave of desire welled up inside of him. “Maybe you’re right… just a little bit,” he conceded.

While Link’s lips strayed no lower than Ravio’s collarbones, his curious hands roamed farther. He explored the merchant’s body, grabbing and squeezing his arms and shoulders, running his fingers up and down his spine, showing just as much enthusiasm for his companion as he gave to examining new items for sale, and making Ravio come alive under his touch. It was all Ravio could do to mirror his movements. He felt like he was in danger of becoming completely undone by this overwhelming amount of attention, which was so much more satisfying than his previous encounters had been. Back in Lorule, a few sessions of awkward fumbling in the most distant ends of an abandoned wing of the castle with a royal page who was too attractive for his own good had cemented the feeling Ravio had that boys were just as much fun to kiss as girls were, but they hadn’t gotten very far before Ravio’s innate cowardice had put a stop to their youthful experiments.

Mr. Hero wasn’t given to explaining himself, even under the influence of milk, so Ravio didn’t know how much sexual experience he had, but he thought he must have had at least some practice, or perhaps he was simply very good at covering his inexperience with confidence and paying close attention to his partner’s reactions. Every movement of Link’s hands and lips over Ravio’s skin sent tingles of pleasure through the Lorulean’s body, and when Ravio’s mouth was not otherwise occupied, he moaned and panted loudly with excitement and delight.

Guided by Link’s insistent body language, Ravio rose to his knees, keeping pace with and holding onto his companion as the hero sat up and shifted closer to him. Ravio was careful to keep some physical space between their bodies, even though it pained him to do so. He knew that if their lower halves had any contact with each other, instinct would take over and he’d start humping away, unable to stop until he had satisfied himself in whatever shameful manner compelled him. He was close to losing his composure, dimly aware of the desperate sounds he was making high in his throat as Link’s hands continued their downward trajectory, working their way under the waistband of his tights and rolling them off his waist and rear end. He had no choice but to subject Mr. Hero to the same treatment, if only to distract himself. His hands skimmed along the flat planes of his chest and torso, firmly enough so he wasn’t tickling, but conscious of the hero’s healing wounds. Discovering its location by touch, Ravio traced with his fingertips the faint path of hair that had consumed his curiosity, finally, amazingly able to follow it down his abdomen to its termination. There was no need to search for the hard organ straining the confines of his final layer of clothing. It was right there, greeting his inquisitive fingers with a wet tip.

Mr. Hero had found Ravio’s penis as well, having pulled his pants all the way down to his thighs. When he touched it, Ravio let out an involuntary whine, a mixture of shock and joy pushing aside his insecurities and filling the space where his nervousness had been. With their lips locked, tongues engaged, and bits of clothing scrunched and forgotten around their knees, they held each other, a new rhythm unfolding beneath their hands. Link pulled away from Ravio’s kiss-swollen lips just enough to free his mouth and said, “You make a lot of noise, you know that?”

Something clicked belatedly in Ravio’s brain and he replied, “Well, you know how to shut me up...” making it sound like both a question and a statement.

“You’re right,” Link agreed, giving his companion an emphatic squeeze. “I have just the thing.” He cleared his throat and paused, giving Ravio time to respond.

The merchant took his cue, saying, “Give it to me, then,” while thinking in a haze of amazement that he was lucky his line had worked. It must have been so effective, he reasoned, because he had thrown the hero’s own words back at him. What else should he say to encourage Mr. Hero? For all his “salesman’s charm”, he had been oblivious to the straightforward flirting aimed at him all night long. But he didn’t have any more time to ponder the intricacies of come-on lines. Someone was calling his name, repeatedly. 

Ravio snapped out of his reverie in time to hear Link warn him, “Hey. Bunny Boy. Let me go!” before grabbing him in a bear hug and toppling them both over onto the mattress. Ravio shrieked and Link laughed as they landed with a thump on the soft bed covers. The enthusiastic Hylian playfully rolled them over so Ravio was lying on top of him, then relaxed his hold so they could adjust themselves and settle into a more comfortable position.

“There, now you’ve got me right where you want me. What are you going to do with your newfound power?”

Ravio raised himself up from his elbows onto his hands, which had the unintended effect of pressing his erection into that of the man below him. As he suppressed a heated groan, he looked down at the indistinct form of the friend he had every intention of ravaging, and his mind flashed through every dumb thing he’d thought of in the past few minutes. _I’m going to lead by example. You’re going to be the loud one after I’m through with you. I’m going to suck the courage out of you. I’d rather show and not tell. I’m going to make you come so hard they’ll feel it in Lorule._ Wisely, he kept his mouth shut. Sober, Mr. Hero might have given him a withering look and ignored his pathetic attempt at smooth-talking, but drunk, he was unpredictable. He might do anything, up to and including kicking him out of bed, which he wasn’t going to risk. Not when, as the man himself said, he was right where Ravio wanted him! He opted instead for a few syllables of indistinct babble while he shifted his hips again, biting his lip when a throb of pleasure radiated through his lower half.

Link raised his hands and brushed the hair away from Ravio’s face, hooking the long, trailing side pieces behind his ears, then intertwined his fingers to rest them on the back of his head. Ravio froze. If Mr. Hero could tell where his face was, then surely he could also see what he looked like? But no, he remembered. The candle was nearly spent, and what little light it cast was directed at his back. Mr. Hero could only see his silhouette. He was safe.

Ravio was ready. His cowardice had been temporarily wrestled into submission, so there was nothing stopping him from doing what he wanted to do. He dipped his head back down, placing a brief series of kisses across Link’s neck, collarbones, and chest, sensing the crashing heartbeat below through the press of his lips. Pushing himself off the hero’s body, he worked his way downward, tasting the salt on his skin and feeling his muscles tense with anticipation. Link’s hands were still on Ravio’s head, and he applied the subtlest pressure in his preferred direction, encouraging without pressuring. 

Ravio’s hands led the way to his destination as his lips trailed lazily behind, gliding smoothly over the shallow dip of his navel to the jutting rise of more interesting anatomy. His senses were filled by the intoxicating physicality of Mr. Hero, and yet, he was hungry for more. As he settled into position, he brought his tongue out to lap at Link’s wet head, where the tiny slit was dribbling. Ravio could say that he had tasted himself on occasion, and the flavor on his tongue was similar to what he had experienced before, but this contained an element unique to the hero. Was it adventure? He almost laughed at his loopy thought before catching himself in time and wondered if it was possible to contract second-hand intoxication. Whatever he was tasting, it was intriguing, and he dragged his tongue across Link’s skin to lick it all up.

 _What should I do now?_ Ravio wondered as one of his hands encircled the base of his friend’s cock, the other hand cradled his balls, and his tongue traced intricate patterns on the underside of his shaft. It was getting harder and harder for him to concentrate with all the competing thoughts and feelings racing around inside him. Mr. Hero wasn’t giving him any direction, apart from tiny, randomly uttered, appreciative noises, so he could probably take his time experimenting and exploring the unknown. Maybe he’d even tease him a little, to get back at him for all the distress he had suffered while disrobing, so he flicked his tongue over a spot he knew was particularly sensitive and kept at it until he heard Link's breath hitch in his chest. Need tugged at him, reminding him that his companion shared his same desire, so he relaxed his jaw and took the hero properly into his mouth.

The house filled with the sloppy sounds of an enthusiastic blowjob, and Link noted that Ravio wasn't any quieter with his mouth full.

Ravio chose not to reply, but instead hummed his affirmation with an intensity that caused the Hylian to hiss in appreciation.

“Yes,” Link sighed, and spread his legs farther apart. “So good. Just like that.”

Ravio didn’t have much in the way of fingernails, but he raked them down the insides of Mr. Hero’s thighs anyway, where he wasn’t likely to be injured, and was rewarded by his hips twitching into his face.

“Oh, oh fu…” Link clenched his jaw, cutting off the word as if it wouldn’t offend his company if it wasn’t fully formed. 

Ravio hadn’t known that Mr. Hero was the swearing type, but he wasn’t entirely surprised to hear it. He just never imagined him saying those words in this scenario– or being with him in this scenario in the first place. The situation they had fallen into still had an air of unreality to it, as if the merchant was in the best dream he’d ever had; a dream he wished he’d never have to wake from.

“It’s okay,” Ravio said, coming up for air and exchanging his second hand for his mouth. He was willing to break his rhythm to let Link know that he didn’t consider vulgarities to be a dealbreaker, and he still considered him to be heroic even if he swore like a criminal. “You can swear.... Lets me know I’m doing something right.” Link groaned and grabbed fistfuls of Ravio’s hair as he went back to work, licking all the way up his shaft before plunging it as far down his throat as he could manage.

Before he got the chance to perform the maneuver again, Ravio felt an urgent pulling on his ears. He paused his movements to let Mr. Hero know he was listening, and heard a request, suggested through panted breaths, to rotate around on the bed. “Scoot your ass up here. I want to give as good as I’m getting.”

Ravio popped off to ask, “Are you sure? I’m fine down here for the moment. I don’t mind taking turns,” and gently sucked a testicle into his mouth to emphasize his statement.

“Yes!” Link said with a needy edge to his voice. “If I join in, I won’t fall asleep!”

Ravio absolutely couldn’t let a remark like that go unchallenged, and he sat up and asked, “Are you really worried about it? Am I that bad?”

“No, you’re great, really,” he insisted, shifting over to one side of the bed. “All that milk… It’s coming at me in waves… I want to be sure we both get ours before the next wave pulls me under and I conk out for the night!”

The merchant had to admit it was a compelling argument, and quickly reoriented himself to lie head to toe, or rather, head to crotch, with Mr. Hero. He had to scrunch his legs up against the headboard to get into the right position, but fortunately, no one jammed a knee or elbow into a sensitive spot as they shuffled around on the bed. Lying on their right sides gave both of them a break from supporting their weight, and left them each with their preferred hand to navigate to the correct place and explore in the near darkness. The thigh of Ravio’s right leg made for a twitchy pillow, but Link didn’t seem to mind as he tucked his arm beneath it and rested his head on its inner surface. The hero took his companion’s length into his hand and gave it a few encouraging pumps.

“Okay, ready? One, two, three, go!” Link said, just loud enough to hear, and drew his lips around Ravio's aching cock head. Ravio wondered for a split second if repeating that phrase was the hero’s usual way to psych himself up before he did something dangerous or which required extra courage, then the thought was forced from his mind by the blissful sensations of a mouth working its way down to envelop an organ that had never felt that kind of warm, wet embrace before.

Mr. Hero, for all his complaints of fatigue, had remembered to keep his legs spread wide to give Ravio as much space as possible in their new configuration. He kept his raised left leg bent at the knee and out of the way as the merchant went straight for the other side of the sack he had been forced to abandon. He began in much the same way as Ravio first had, using his tongue and hand in a rhythmless exploration of the flesh in his grasp. After taking the time to lavish detailed attention on every square inch of skin he could reach, he seemed to take inspiration from Ravio’s steady sucking and changed his approach to mirror the technique that was being used on him. This caused the noise level in the room to double, but neither of the young men were in any state to comment on it, either snidely or sincerely.

It didn’t take long for Ravio to notice that in opposition to his earlier actions, Link was now taking direction from him. When the Lorulean sped up or slowed down, the mouth on him followed suit. When he increased or decreased the pressure of his mouth or hand, Link was likewise quick to change. This nonverbal communication served them well as they followed each other into bliss, and gave more weight to Ravio’s suspicion that the Hylian didn’t have that much experience after all. On the other hand, Mr. Hero had made it abundantly clear that he was moments away from falling asleep, and it didn’t take much brainpower to follow along with the program, especially when it felt so good. Ravio gave up trying to ascertain his friend’s level of consciousness and renewed his concentration on coaxing the other man towards his climax.

Ravio had thought that with his attention divided between pleasing another and being pleased, it would take away from his experience, but now, with the coil of pending ecstasy tightening familiarly in his gut, it turned out to be the opposite. The dual joys of sucking and getting sucked off set up a positive feedback loop around the physical sensations Ravio was receiving, the mental desire for his mouth to be stuffed full of his idol, and the emotional satisfaction of performing well. He removed Mr. Hero’s cock from his mouth long enough to warn him of his imminent orgasm, and replaced it in his mouth, not wanting to deprive either of them of their glorious union for long. In response, Link held on tightly to the thigh he was using as a pillow, sank the fingers of his free hand deeper into the flesh behind Ravio’s upper hip, and kept on with the same relentless, agonizingly enjoyable pace, holding him in place and leaving no room for the merchant to pull away.

It was a clear and effective way of giving his permission, and Ravio took it immediately. Snapping his hips forward and letting a loud moan escape around his mouthful of hero, he felt his release surge and flow through him, pleasure clinging to his insides like the sweetened cream he drank hours ago, as he tried to maintain his rhythm on his companion. 

Link seemed to be waiting for Ravio’s erection to abate before he released him from his grip, but the Lorulean knew that he wasn’t going to soften and the contact would begin to hurt if he was still being stimulated, so he tapped him on the side of his head to let him know he should let go. The hero did so and leaned back slightly to rest more fully against the bed. Ravio felt a puff of hot breath on his wet skin.

“I’m almost there,” he rasped. “A little faster, please…” Ravio eagerly complied, as his jaw was starting to protest the extra demand he was placing on it. Link’s fingers ran gently from his partner’s flank, over his ribs and neck, to rest on the back of his head, and they twitched with every enthusiastic flourish of his tongue. Polite as ever, Link tugged at Ravio’s hair to let him know it was now or never if he wanted to get out of the way, but Ravio grunted and waved his hand away. He’d like to take it. He was curious to taste another aspect of the hero, and besides, now that he knew it felt so much better to come into a soft, wet, inviting mouth than in the cold uncaring air or one’s own hand, he couldn’t deny his friend the same pleasure. He was rewarded by a spurt of bitter, salty fluid to the back of his throat, which he barely tasted before he swallowed it down out of reflex. Holding the pressure steady as the last few pulses filled his mouth, Ravio listened to the strangest sound he had ever heard Mr. Hero make. It sounded like surrender, and he felt himself throb in sympathy as he recognized its meaning. Before this moment, he couldn’t have imagined a noise like that coming from such a courageous young man, but he supposed that this was a perfect time to give up a bit of control. 

Satisfied and panting, the newly minted lovers rested in place, hardly stirring while their breathing returned to normal. Link had exhausted every last scrap of his energy, and the first and only thing he had done was to let his leg crash down in a wobbling heap once Ravio had cleared the way for his collapse. Ravio had the sense of mind to get up before he fell asleep too, and he crawled over his friend and pulled down the sheets, which had untucked themselves a long time ago, as he got off the bed. Head curiously light and limbs equally heavy, he shuffled across the room on unsteady legs to refill the single water glass, once for himself and again for Mr. Hero. He found the pillows where they had been kicked to the floor, and tossed them against the headboard, hitting Link’s face in the process.

“Hey,” he grunted sleepily. “What was that for?”

“Just checking to see if you’re still awake!” Ravio replied cheerfully.

“If I wasn’t so tired, I’d throw these right back at you,” the worn-out hero complained, and shoved a pillow under his head.

“Wait a minute, don’t fall asleep yet, you need to be under the covers!” The merchant coached Mr. Hero through the steps of first disentangling himself from the sheets– “Turn to your other side, now lift your bum, there you go!” –and then tucking himself back in. Ravio climbed into bed, nudging his companion to the far side and rearranging their bodies and blankets to his satisfaction.

“All cozy now, isn’t that nice?” said Ravio, turning to his side and fluffing his pillow one last time. “I’m not even going to charge you for the turn-down service. It’s on the house tonight!” 

Link snickered, half asleep, half exasperated, and pulled the merchant close, burying his nose in his tousled hair. “That’s my Ravio. Always thinking about his next rupee.”

Ravio’s eyes flew open and his hands spasmed, clenching around a swath of blanket. _He didn’t… did he just say…_ **_My_ ** _Ravio? Mr. Hero must have misspoken, or he meant it in a friendly way, since we are friends, aren’t we?_ His brain, which had been winding down in preparation for a nice, sound sleep, suddenly kicked into high gear, his mental alarms blaring at the suggestion to overthink the meaning of a possibly misheard word, the context of which had the ability to complicate their relationship even more than the activities they had just engaged in. 

Ravio had spent all night being propelled by his own desires, too thrilled by having his lustful wishes granted to even stop and consider Mr. Hero’s motivations. To explain away Link’s behavior as being “under the influence” bothered him. He didn’t want to be a drunken mistake that his former friend regretted in the morning. He knew he would not be able to fall asleep without knowing– his question must be asked and answered if he was to have any peace. They were friends. Mr. Hero would tell him.

Postcoital doubt flooded Ravio’s voice as he asked, “Mr. Hero, you didn’t want to go home with that girl in the bar, did you?”

Link stroked Ravio’s hair, twisting it around his fingers in an affectionate, calming manner. He was silent for so long that Ravio thought he had forgotten the question, but with a mix of disbelief and humor, he eventually answered, “Ravio, I blew you. You came in my mouth. If that doesn’t prove that I wanted you and not her, then…” He trailed off, his conclusion lost in the Lorulean’s hair as Link pressed his face into it. “I haven’t kicked you out of bed, either,” he added, as if the occupancy rate of his bed was the defining characteristic of his say in the matter.

“Oh.” Ravio was silent as he tried to process the new information without getting distracted by the naked man spooning him. He licked his lips, which had gone dry again, and said, “I’m sorry, I forgot to ask if I could join you. Should I get out of your bed, then?”

“No!” Link said, laughing and hugging the merchant tighter. “You’re so nice and warm. I like it… I like you. I wish I hadn’t needed some liquid courage to show you…” he yawned, blowing warm air over the back of Ravio’s ear, and continued, “I want you to stay here. With me.” He yawned again. “And shut up, please, I’d like to get some sleep before I go to Lorule in the morning.”

Ravio was about to remark that Mr. Hero was doing all the talking, not him, but thought better of it and held his tongue. He opted to show his happiness over everything working out so wonderfully by staying completely still, and drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face. He looked forward to the morning, when he could send his friend off to his final adventure with a kiss that meant more than he would ever be able to say.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and feedback are always appreciated!


End file.
